The objective of the research study is to determine, whether Cape Medical Plan has the need for an employee assistance program, the content of such a program, as well as the important principles which are to be considered when implementing an employee assistance program within the organisation. The investigation consisted of 26 staff members participating, of which 9 were managers and 17 employees. With reference to the empirical investigation, it was concluded that a recommendation be made that a formal policy in terms of an employee assistance program be compiled; and be championed by the Human Resource Manager. A model, that will meet the needs of the company, should be followed, to ensure the successful implementation of an employee assistance program. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

M.A. / Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) can be defined as programs, sponsored by management and labor, that are specifically designed to identify and assist employees and their families with various difficulties that impair personal and occupational functioning. Adventist Community Services (ACS) is a welfare organization that identified the need within the organization for such a program. A needs assessment to determine the specific needs of employees and volunteers with regard to such a program is however necessary before it can be designed. The aim of this study is therefore to conduct an exploratory investigation into the needs of ACS employees and volunteers with regards to an EAP. The objectives of the study were firstly to determine the level of social functioning of respondents by using 25 subscales of the Multi-Problem Screening Inventory. From the analysis of the data gained through this instrument areas of concern (for example, self-esteem, depression, partner relationships, etc.)were identified that are to be incorporated in an EAP for the organization. Secondly, the Index of Job Satisfaction was administered in order to establish the level of job satisfaction of respondents. The majority of respondents reported a clinically significant level of job dissatisfaction, which provides a base line measurement for later evaluation of the EAP to be designed, as well as an indication of the necessity of such a program. The last objective of this study was to give clear guidelines for the development of an EAP for ACS,. including the structure and content of such a program. An inhouse model providing a comprehensive range of services is recommended and specific areas of emphasis were identified (for example, time management and productivity, etc.). The literature review that was embarked on for this study served as a theoretical basis for the study as well as for the designing of an additional questionnaire. This questionnaire was used to gather demographic information and practical details about the implementation of an EAP.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Human Resources, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / The aim of this study was to assess the employee assistance programme related to substance abuse within a selected private hospital in KwaZulu Natal. A paucity of information within the South African context on how employees with substance abuse problems were being managed within the workplace provided the motivation for this study. The objective of this study was to evaluate existing employee assistance programmes, the line manager model and existing human resource policies and procedures within the selected private hospital. The research design adopted a mixed method approach using a questionnaire, followed by an interview based on findings of the questionnaires. The intended sample size was 185 out of 460 staff and the final return of questionnaires was 219. Of significance is the response rate of over a 40% which implies a margin error of 5%. The data was analysed using the computerised Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS version 22.0 for Windows). This study concluded with the findings that emerged from the research. The findings suggest that employees with substance abuse problems are not being effectively managed and that there are no awareness models apart from the employee wellness provider. The limit of the employee wellness provider is that it markets “employee wellness” rather than an emphasis on substance abuse. A suggestion is that the human resource department and the wellness provider partner in inspiring a substance abuse prevention and assistance campaign. Another recommendation highlights the training of all line managers in identification of recognising employees with substance abuse problems prior to work performance being affected. The study concluded with suggestions for future research in this field. / M

M.A. / Health problems, physical and mental, in industry have an enormous influence on productivity of organisations in South Africa. Certain models of stress implied the perspective that many stressors may serve as possible inputs into the system, for example remuneration, substance abuse, teamwork, management support, change and self control. Outputs from the system include aspects such as accidents, illness, low productivity levels and psycho-social problems. The problem is that illness and absenteeism often have unspecific causes and a complex interaction perspective has been developed in looking at the employee as system in his working environment.

The Employee Assistance Programme is regarded as a tool that could assist employees in organisations with both their personal and work-related problems. This has become evident as more employers are offering these services to their employees. The goal of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of social workers’ views and experiences in rendering EAP services in the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH). The study used a qualitative research approach by focusing on the explorative, descriptive, and contextual designs. Constructivist theory and the person-environmentfit model formed the framework of this study. Purposeful sampling (a criterion-based sample) was used to select social workers rendering EAP services in the GDOH. Eleven social workers who met the criteria participated in the study and their ages ranged between 33 and 50 years. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews. The Tesch’s eight steps of data analysis was used, and data verification was conducted based on the Guba model. The findings in this study indicate that EAP is an important programme. However, it is not prioritised by the GDoH. Consequently, EAP practitioners experience challenges that negatively affect the provision of quality EAP services. Despite the challenges, most of the EAP practitioners nonetheless continue to render these services albeit under difficult circumstances since they love and have a passion for the work they do. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Work)

The purpose of the study was to determine if one company-sponsored EAP and health program influences some behaviors and lifestyle choices of employees when off the job. This study compared the perceptions of employees and management regarding what is within the “legitimate” (job-related) EAP scope. During the past four decades the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has increased in number and scope such that an estimated 50 percent of working Americans currently have access to an EAP. Designed originally to treat alcoholic workers, they now address other behavioral health problems such as drugs, family, emotional, financial and legal difficulties. In concert with EAPs, other initiatives have proliferated at the work site including health and wellness programs and drug testing policies. These convergent forces have served to create a blurring of the distinction between personal prerogatives regarding health and the work domain. What was once the province of the community—health care—has now shifted to the employer. This trend places EAP mental health practitioners, in particular, in the dual relationship of serving both client and company. Other issues which come to light include privacy, confidentiality, personal responsibility, paternalism, and de facto reinforcement of company-imposed values on the individual regarding lifestyle, fitness and even family life. The employees of a public utility in central California were surveyed. The entire population of 2,030 received the questionnaire; 575 people responded (28.3%). The findings were that all dimensions of EAP services were perceived to be job-related by a majority of the respondents. No more than 40 percent of the respondents felt that any single service was not job-related. That maximum was regarding smoking cessation. Although behavior had changed on some of the individuals as a result of EAP participation, the accompanying findings that those services were job-related nullified the distinction between behaviors at work and behaviors off the job. This raises the question of why employees think that EAP services are job-related. That and other aspects of EAP use patterns are discussed.

This project attempts to explain impulsive behavior which is described here as behavior that cannot be explained by a rational thought process. There will be a concentration on the direct relationship between perceptions of equity and the intention to quit.

Text in Afrikaans / The purpose of the research was to determine the extent to which health issues, and particularly work stress, are managed at a welfare organization. The group investigated consisted of 49 registered social workers employed at nine welfare organizations in the Nelson Mandela Metropole. The research process was directed by quantitative research, the research information being obtained through a literature study and structured questionnaire. A number of health issues were identified in the workplace. Based on the empirical investigation it was concluded that health management does not enjoy a high priority at welfare organisations. The health issues that have the most impact on the respondents' work ability are work stress and burnout. It is recommended that organisations compile a holistic policy for health management. There is a need for implementation of employee assistance and wellness programmes for health management. Such programmes promote the productivity and general wellbeing of social workers. / Die doel van die navorsingstudie was om te bepaal tot watter mate gesondheidskwessies, in die besonder werkstres, by 'n welsynsorganisasie bestuur word. Die ondersoekgroep het bestaan uit 49 geregistreerde maatskaplike werkers werksaam by nege welsynsorganisasies in die Nelson Mandela Metropool. Die navorsingsproses is deur kwantitatiewe navorsing gerig en die navorsingsinligting is met behulp van 'n literatuurstudie en gestruktureerde vraelys bekom. Daar word tans 'n aantal gesondheidskwessies in die werkplek geidentifiseer. Na aanleiding van die empiriese ondersoek is daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat gesondheidbestuur nie 'n hoe prioriteit geniet by welsynsorgnisasies nie. Die gesondheidskwessies wat die mees beduidende impak op die respondente se werkvermoe het, is werkstres en uitbranding. Daar word aanbeveel dat organisasies 'n holistiese beleid ten opsigte van gesondheidsbestuur opstel. Daar is 'n behoefie aan die implementering van werknemerhulp- en werknemerwelstandprogramme vir gesondheidsbestuur omdat sulke programme die produktiwiteit en algemene welstand van maatskaplike werkers kan bevorder. / Social Work / M.Diac. (Social Work)

This study evolved from an involvement with professional people in a rural and semi-rural environment thereby taking into account the role which the Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) plays in their professional context of work. Two underlying factors motivate the study. Firstly, that professional needs and capacities of faith, belief and spirituality are not been catered for in the EAPs. Secondly, that an African-Christian wholesome sense making approach provides more satisfactory answers to the lack of faith, belief and spirituality in the EAPs than the modern versions of the classic dualist and tripartite anthropological schemes of soul and body or soul, spirit and body. Furthermore, a wholesome sense making approach supports and tackles people’s wellness and well-being levels more satisfactorily than the classic dualist and tripartite views. An outline of an EAP in which faith leaders and consultants and their programmes are integrated and which contributes to the enhancing of well-being levels and performance management of professional people is described. The main focus of the study revolves around wholesome foursome experiential patterns in which alternating emphases of faith experience are acted out in the sense of ‘I believe God, I believe myself, I believe my human neighbours and I believe the physical natural environment’. This four side pattern of faith experience functions as an important theoretical assumption in the study. A second theoretical assumption has to do with the foursome processual framework of God’s grand acts of creation, reconciliation (redemption= cross and resurrection of Jesus), renewal (ongoing renewal of everything) and consummation and fulfilment towards the end (aim and goal) in which we as people and the physical natural environment are intrinsically and continuously involved. A third theoretical assumption revolves around the foursome experiential professional performance pattern of ‘I perform for God, I perform for myself, I perform for my human neighbours and I perform for the physical natural environment’. The foursome experiential patterns are also set as evaluative pointer patterns around which the empirical investigative part is constructed. / Philosophy & Systematic Theology / D.Th. (Systematic Theology)

Farm workers are viewed as a neglected segment in the South African society. This qualitative research study focused on exploring and describing the social needs of farm workers in the Central Koup from the perspectives of samples comprising of farm workers and farm owners and/or managers. The aim was to contribute in finding solutions to address the identified needs through employee assistance programmes (EAPs) as one of the areas that an occupational social worker focuses on. The qualitative data was collected through focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews, and the findings were verified with literature. Tesch’s framework for data analysis (in Creswell, 2003) was employed, and data verification was conducted through Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222). The findings indicated that the social needs of farm workers could be addressed through typical EAP-related focus areas such as working- and interpersonal relationships, substance abuse, spiritual well-being, recreation, financial management, conflict management, child care and parenting skills, trauma counselling, and practical assistance regarding transport, housing and accessibility of resources. This research endeavour resulted in recommendations regarding the use of EAPs to address the social needs of farm workers. / M. Soc. Sc.